Knickerbocker-knee.



M. J. LIEBERMAN. KNICKERBOCKER KNEE. APPLICATION FILED MAILZH, 191a.

Patented 0ct;13,1 914.

, UNITED STATES PATENT 01115 10151."

MEYER J. LIEBERMAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

KNICKERBOCKER-KNEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 13, 1914.

Application filed March 28, 1913. Serial No. 757,300.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MEYER J. LIEBERMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Baltimore and Diamond streets, Baltimore, Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knickerbocker-Knees, of which the following is a patented, all of those which are related to the present one have the knee portion of the trousers or knickerbockers slotted and a strap is secured to the bottom edge of the trousers? This overlaps the .slot and a buckle is used to fasten the strap and adjust its length, to change the circumference of the trousers knee and the tension of the same about the limb of the wearer. If the strap is not adjustable, it is made of elastic material and in some instances it is both adjustable and elastic.

The objection to the non-elastic adjustment as used alone, is obvious, as the discomfort of a tight band -which can be stretched but little, if at all, is apparent; also the strap soon becomes worn. If the band is made of elastic material and adapted to stretch sufiicintly to accommodate the wearer without adjustment of the strap, it is found that the wide inside flap which must be used to close the slot, becomes wrinkled or wadded as the band is expanded or contracted, so that it not only does not perform the function for which it is intended, but causes a considerable amount of discomfort to the wearer. To overcome these various difficulties, I slot the trousers at 'two points, preferably on the inside and on the outside of the leg. At one side, generally on the outside, I use a non-elastic strap, conveniently forming an extension of the knee-band of the trousers and any suitable means, as two or more buttons, is used to secure the strap at different points to the opposite side of the slot or vent, so that the knee-band is conveniently buttoned to fit approximately the wearers leg. Preferably in normal positlon, the sides of the slot over- .in the band as hereinafter described.

is secured to the bottom-edge of each lap but slightly, but they may be overlapped to a considerable extent, the strap side overlymg the other, but as the strap is nonelastic, the inside portion or flap, when once lald flat, does. not become wrinkled or wadded; To cause the knee-band to hug the limb and prevent it from slipping down when fastened, I insert an elastic member At the other slot I preferably provide two flaps which normally overlap and the knee-band The knee-band on the side of the outer flap 1s opened to form a fiat tube. An elastic strap is inserted in the tube and secured therein at its inner end. The other'end of the strap is secured to the knee-band on the outer face of the inside flap some distance back from the edge. The flaps so arranged permit free contraction and expansion of the strap without wrinkling of either flap, and at the same time the flaps are so placed as to always close the slot. The non-elastic strap with the buttons provides sufficient variation in the circumference of the knee so that it can be buttoned to fit the wearer approximately, and the elastic strap takes up the slack and causes the band to hug the knee when buttoned at a convenient tension.

A portion of a. pair of knickerbockers to which the device of my invention has been applied, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Figure I is a fragmentary side elevation of the knee portion of the from the outside, bot-h slots being open and having the flaps turned up for the purpose of illustration. Fig. II is a bottom plan of the knee portion of one leg. Fig. III is a fragmentary, horizontal section through the pocket or tube showing the elastic band or strap and its relation to the flaps.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals: The trousers leg 1 is slotted or provided with vents on the outer side at 2 and on the inner side at 3. The entire bottom edge of the trousers is preferably bound or encircled by the knee-band 4 which is discontinued at the slots 2 and 3, except at the outer edge of the slot 2, where the band is garment looking extended, forming a non-elastic strap 5.

the edge of the slot. In normal position, 2'. 6., when the end buttonhole 6 engages the button .8, the .edges of the slot overlap but slightly. However, when the strap is.

on each side, the inside flap being numbered 9 in Fig. I, and the outside flap 10. The knee-band at the bottom of the latter flap is left open to form a tube 11-, and an elastic strap 12 is inserted therein, being secured at its inner end at 13. The end of the strap projects from the tube and is secured to the knee-band at 14 on the opposite side of the slot, so that-when the elastic strap is contracted, there being no tension placed upon it, the outside flap is not wrinkled or gath-- ered and itoverlaps the inside flapby a considerable margin, as an inch or more.

In the operation of the device, it will be apparent that the inside flap 15 of the outside slot may be laid flat and the end of the strap 5, drawn tight and secured by means of the button 8 or 18, either buttonhole 6 or 7being utilized. As there is no contraction or expansion at this point and consequently no slipping of the flap 15 relatively to the knee or limb of the wearer, there is no tendency of this flap to wrinkle or become wadded; at the same time an efiicient major adjustment is provided.

In regard to the slot 3 on the other side of the trousers leg, the two flaps 9 and 10 overlap at this point. The flap 9 be ng inside and stationary, has no tendency to wrinkle ifit is laid flat when the garment is first adjusted. The position of the elastic band 12 inside the tube 11 of the outside flap 10, tends to prevent that flap from wrinkling while its edge moves back and forth toward and from the point 14 of the flap 9, at which the end of the elastic band 12 is fastened. The operation of this portion of the device, 2'. 6., slot 3, flaps 9 and 10 and the elastic band l2-is to give a minor adjustment and to cause the knee to contract and expand to conform to the motions of the wearer and the consequent changes of configuration of the knee.

I have thus described specifically a single embodiment of my invention in order that its nature and operation may be clearly understood. I do not desire however, to limit myself to all the details described, and the -specific terms herein are used in their descrlptive rather than their limited sense; the scope of the invention is defined in the claims.

I claim 1. Knickerbocker leg having at the kneetwo vertical slotted openings, one on each side, a non-elastic strap secured to one side of one slot and normally overlapping the other side, means for securing the strap to the other side of the slot in various positions to provide for adjustment to the size of the knee, the other slot having overlapping flaps one on each side of the openin a tube in the outer flap, and an elastic ban therein, fastened at its inner end in the tube, and at its outer end, to the flap on the other side of the slot at a point spaced back from the edge.

2: A knickerbocker having at each knee two vents, one on each side, having normally overlapping edges, a strap secured to the outer edge of one vent and overlapping the other edge, means for securing the strap and adjusting it to vary the circumference of the knee opening, andan elastic strap secured at its respective ends to the opposite sides of the other opening.

3. A knickerbocker knee having two vents, a non-elastic strap at one vent and means for adjusting it to vary the circumference of the knee, and an elastic strap at the other vent to maintain the tension. of the garment at the knee.

Signed by me at Baltimore city, Maryland, this 27th day of March 1913.

- MEYER J. LIEBERMAN. Witnesses:

WALTER E. SMITH, MARY MULLIGAN. 

